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Marek’s disease (MD) is a lymphoproliferative disease of chickens caused by Marek’s disease virus (MDV), an oncogenic α-herpesvirus. Since 1970, MD has been controlled by widespread vaccination; however, more effective MD vaccines are needed to counter more virulent MDV strains. The bivalent vaccine combination of SB-1 and herpesvirus of turkey (HVT) strain FC126 has been widely used. Nonetheless, the mechanism(s) underlying this synergistic effect has not been investigated. Three experiments were conducted where SB-1 or HVT were administered as monovalent or bivalent vaccines to newly hatched chickens, then challenged five days later with MDV. In Experiment 1, levels of MDV replication in PBMCs were measured over time, and tumor incidence and vaccinal protection determined. In Experiment 2, MDV and vaccine strains replication levels in lymphoid organs were measured at 1, 5, 10, and 14 days post-challenge (DPC). In Experiment 3, to verify that the bursa was necessary for HVT protection, a subset of chicks were bursectomized and these birds plus controls were similarly vaccinated and challenged, and the levels of vaccinal protection determined. The efficacy of bivalent SB-1 + HVT surpasses that of either SB-1 or HVT monovalent vaccines in controlling the level of pathogenic MDV in PBMCs until the end of the study, and this correlated with the ability to inhibit tumor formation. SB-1 replication in the spleen increased from 1 to 14 DPC, while HVT replicated only in the bursa at 1 DPC. The bursa was necessary for immune protection induced by HVT vaccine. Synergy of SB-1 and HVT vaccines is due to additive influences of the individual vaccines acting at different times and target organs. And the bursa is vital for HVT to replicate and induce immune protection.

Previous reports have suggested that many gut microbiomes were associated with the development of colorectal cancer (CRC), and could modulate response to numerous forms of cancer therapy, including checkpoint blockade immunotherapy. Here we evaluated the protective efficacy of Lactobacillus acidophilus (L. acidophilus) cell lysates combined with an anti-CTL antigen-4 blocking antibody (CTLA-4 mAb) in syngeneic BALB/c mice CRC models induce by a single intraperitoneal injection of 10 mg/kg azoxymethane (AOM), followed by three cycles of 2% dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) in drinking water. In contrast to CTLA-4 mAb monotherapy, L. acidophilus lysates could attenuate the loss of body weight and the combined administration significantly protected mice against CRC development, which suggested that the lysates enhanced antitumor activity of CTLA-4 mAb in model mice. The enhanced efficacy was associated with the increased CD8 + T cell, increased effector memory T cells (CD44 + CD8 + CD62L+), decreased Treg (CD4 + CD25 + Foxp3+) and M2 macrophages (F4/80 + CD206+) in the tumor microenvironment. In addition, our results revealed that L. acidophilus lysates had an immunomodulatory effect through inhibition the M2 polarization and the IL-10 expressed levels of LPS-activated Raw264.7 macrophages. Finally, the 16S rRNA gene sequencing of fecal microbiota demonstrated that the combined administration significantly inhibited the abnormal increase in the relative abundance of proteobacteria and partly counterbalance CRC-induced dysbiosis in model mice. Overall, these data support promising clinical possibilities of L. acidophilus lysates with CTLA-4 mAb in cancer patients and the hypothesis that probiotics help shape the anticancer immune response.

The extreme resiliency of lichens to UV radiations makes them an interesting model to find new photoprotective agents acting as UV-blockers and antioxidant. In this research, using a new in vitro method designed to overcome the shortage of material associated to many studies dealing with natural products, we show that the three major compounds isolated from the lichen Vulpicida pinastri, vulpinic acid, pinastric acid and usnic acid, were UV blocker agents. Antioxidant assays evidenced superoxide anion scavenging activity. Combination of the most promising compounds against UVB and UVB radiations, usnic acid, vulpinic acid and pinastric acid, increased the photoprotective activity. At the same time, they were found not cytotoxic on keratinocyte cell lines and photostable in the UVA and UVB ranges. Thus, lichens represent an attractive source to find good candidate ingredients as photoprotective agents. Additionally, the uncommon scalemic usnic acid mixture in this Vulpicida species was proven through electronic circular dichroism calculation.

The objective of this study was to optimize in vitro tissue culture conditions for Crocus sativus L. (saffron) by evaluating various concentrations of NAA (naphthaleneacetic acid), BAP (benzylaminopurine), and SA (salicylic acid) on callus induction, shoot regeneration, rooting, and microcorm production. The highest callus induction rate (46.53%) was obtained using 0.5 mg/L NAA, 1 mg/L BAP, and 15 mg/L SA. Increasing BAP to 1.5 or 2 mg/L significantly ( P  < 0.05) reduced callus formation, likely due to its inhibitory effects on differentiation and cell division. The application of 15 mg/L SA reduced tissue browning and moderately enhanced callus development across multiple treatments, indicating a protective effect against oxidative stress. The combination of 1 mg/L BAP and 1 mg/L NAA yielded the highest shoot regeneration rate (34.90%) and rooting rate (15.46%). Microcorm formation was most effectively induced using 0.5 mg/L NAA and 2 mg/L BAP in the presence of all tested SA concentrations. Overall, the findings suggest that an appropriate balance of plant growth regulators particularly the synergistic use of auxin, cytokinin, and SA can enhance the efficiency of saffron tissue culture, providing valuable implications for its propagation and improvement.

Cisplatin (CP) is one of the most frequently used chemotherapy agents. The objective of this design was to determine the ameliorative effect of lycopene (LP) and/or N-acetylcysteine (NAC) in rats with hepatic and renal toxicity induced by CP. Rats were divided randomly into 7 groups (7 rats/group): control vehicle group (saline only), the LP group (10 mg/kg, orally), the NAC group (150 mg/kg, orally), the CP group (7.5 mg/kg, IP on day 27), the LP-CP group, the NAC-CP group, and the LP-NAC-CP group. The activities of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase (APK), and levels of urea, creatinine, and lipids (cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol) increased after CP injection in the serum. Moreover, CP decreased levels of protein, albumin, and HDL cholesterol. Meanwhile, malondialdehyde significantly increased with a decrease in reduced glutathione, superoxide dismutase, and catalase in the liver and kidney tissues. CP also induced some pathological lesions and increased the expression of caspase-3 in the liver and kidney tissues. Administration of LP and NAC alone or in combinations ameliorated hepatorenal toxicity and apoptosis induced by CP.

We have reported that genistein (Gen) and silicon (Si) have synergistic effects on ovariectomy-induced bone loss in rat; however, the potential mechanisms behind this effect were not fully clarified yet. This study was performed to evaluate the bone protective mechanisms of concomitant intake of genistein and silicon in ovariectomized rat by OPG/RANKL axis. Three-month-old Sprague-Dawley female rats were subjected to ovariectomy (OVX) or sham surgery; after surgery, the OVX rats were randomly divided into five groups: OVX-Gen, OVX-Si, OVX-Gen-Si, OVX-E, and OVX. Genistein, silicon, and 17β-estradiol supplementation were started after ovariectomy and continued for 10 weeks. The results showed that genistein and silicon treatment increased the bone mineral density (BMD) of ovariectomized rats. In addition, the BMD of the tibia and femur were highest in the OVX-Gen-Si group compared with OVX-Gen and OVX-Si group ( p  < 0.05). After 10 weeks treatment with genistein and silicon, the bone structure of ovariectomized rats was recovered, there was no difference of bone histomorphometric parameters between OVX-Gen-Si, OVX-E, and SHAM group ( p  > 0.05), and there was no difference in the concentration of serum ALP, Ca, P, OPG, and RANKL between OVX-Gen-Si, SHAM, and OVX-E groups ( p  > 0.05). RT-PCR showed that genistein and silicon treatment could effectively increase the OPG mRNA expression and decreased the RANKL mRNA expression compared to that of the OVX group ( p  < 0.05), the OPG/RANKL mRNA ratios were significantly decreased in the OVX group ( p  < 0.05), and it was nearly to normal in the OVX-Gen-Si group. Immunohistochemical staining results showed that genistein and silicon supplementation could effectively increase the protein expression of OPG and decrease the protein expression of RANKL in bone tissues; there were no significant differences in OPG and RANKL positive expression areas between OVX-Gen-Si, SHAM, and OVX-E group ( p  > 0.05). The results above indicate that genistein and silicon supplementation can effectively reduce RANKL, increase OPG levels, and OPG/RANKL ratios in the serum and bone tissue of ovariectomized rats; this is the main mechanism by which genistein and silicon play a bone protective role in ovariectomized rats.

The identification of nutrients and the study of their bioactivity were significant developments in the evolution of contemporary nutrition science. This review argues for shifting the focus towards food in order to better understand the nutrition‐health interface. It begins by introducing the concept of food synergy (a perspective that more information can be obtained by looking at foods than at single food components) to denote the action of the food matrix (the composite of naturally occurring food components) on human biological systems. A proposal is then made for the means by which food‐focused research might build the knowledge base for etiologic discovery and appropriate dietary advice. The diet‐heart disease dilemma is put forward as an example of where a nutrient‐based approach has limitations, and a summary of studies targeting food composition strengthens the case for a food‐based approach. Finally, the argument is made that evidence from interventions points back to the central position of food in the relationship between nutrition and health, a position that begs for more whole food‐based research.

Cardiovascular disease represents a leading cause of mortality and is often characterized by the emergence of endothelial dysfunction (ED), a physiologic condition that takes place in the early progress of atherosclerosis. In this study, two cytoprotective peptides derived from blue mussel chymotrypsin hydrolysates with the sequence of EPTF and FTVN were purified and identified. Molecular mechanisms underlying the cytoprotective effects against oxidative stress which lead to human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) injury were investigated. The results showed that pretreatment of EPTF, FTVN and their combination (1:1) in 0.1 mg/mL significantly reduced HUVEC death due to H2O2 exposure. The cytoprotective mechanism of these peptides involves an improvement in the cellular antioxidant defense system, as indicated by the suppression of the intracellular ROS generation through upregulation of the cytoprotective enzyme heme oxygenase-1. In addition, H2O2 exposure triggers HUVEC damage through the apoptosis process, as evidenced by increased cytochrome C release, Bax protein expression, and the elevated amount of activated caspase-3, however in HUVEC pretreated with peptides and their combination, the presence of those apoptotic stimuli was significantly decreased. Each peptide showed similar cytoprotective effect but no synergistic effect. Taken together, these peptides may be especially important in protecting against oxidative stress-mediated ED.

In order to obtain compact epoxy-based organic coatings with superior corrosion resistance and self-healing performance, a novel Ti 3 C 2 T x /LDH-epoxy hybrid coating was prepared on AZ31 magnesium alloy in this work. The layered double hydroxide (LDH) adopted here is MgAl-LDH intercalated by the cysteine acid (Cys), an environmentally friendly organic acid anions, as corrosion inhibitors, and the MXene (Ti 3 C 2 T x )/MgAl-LDH (TML) heterostructure nanosheets were grown by a facile in situ assembled method. The morphology, composition, structure and the corrosion protection of the Ti 3 C 2 T x /MgAl-LDH-epoxy (EP-TML) composite coatings were systematically investigated and compared with the other three epoxy-based coatings: bare waterborne epoxy resin (EP), Ti 3 C 2 T x pigmented in EP (EP-T), MgAl-LDH in EP (EP-ML). It is found that the TML heterostructure has good dispersion and compatibility with the epoxy resin. The corrosion current density and the impedance value at low frequency (|Z| 0.01 Hz ) of the EP-TML composite coating are 1.4 × 10 –9  A/cm 2 and 1.66 × 10 7  Ω cm 2 , which is 4 orders of magnitude lower than that of the uncoated Mg substrate and 1–2 orders of magnitude higher than that of EP (8.7 × 10 5  Ω cm 2 ), respectively, indicating its excellent corrosion resistance. And the self-healing efficiency of EP-TML composite coating is found to be higher as 56.17% after 6 days immersion in a corrosive environment. The significant improvement of the anti-corrosion and self-healing performance of the EP-TML composite coating are mainly ascribed to the synergistic effect of \"barrier effect\" of TML and the corrosion inhibition effect of the cysteine acid encapsulated in MgAl-LDH. This work provides some valuable insights to widen the functional application of Ti 3 C 2 T x and the design of highly corrosion-resistant and self-healing organic coatings for Mg alloys. Graphical abstract

Multifunctional cotton fabrics were prepared by low–cost and environmentally–friendly spray–assisted layer–by–layer assembly to simultaneously achieve excellent self–extinguishing ability, antistatic property and antimicrobial activity. Especially, a novel hot–dog structured protective coating was designed by was designed with the incorporation of polyaniline (PANI) nanofibers between graphene sheets, which could exhibit unique structural advantages and give full play to the compound synergetic effect. More clearly, 3–aminopropyl triethoxysilane, ammonium polyphosphate and PANI were selected for achieving phosphorus–silicon–nitrogen synergism in the assembled layer, while PANI nanofibers doped with various organic acids were intercalated between adjacent graphene sheets for constructing more stable and efficient protective space. The optimized coated fabric exhibited the excellent self–extinguishing ability for 5 composite layers including phytic acid doped nanofiber, and its limited oxygen index was increased significantly from 18.1% for neat cotton to 35.1%. Moreover, the peak heat release rate and the total heat release values were greatly declined by 78.3% and 49.0%, respectively. Furthermore, a low sheet resistance of 264.7 kΩ/sq for antistatic property, as well as remarkable growth inhibition of E. coli and S. aureus could be observed. In addition, the coated fabrics also had good washing durability. Therefore, such eco–friendly and facile large–scale fabrication approach has great potentials in application for multifunctional advanced textiles and could be employed to various kinds of other cellulose fibers.Graphic abstract